Did you know that some implant companies will sell their implants to a dentist with zero training and experience? That's right, you could be his or her very first attempt at placing a dental implant. Even a dentist with some training may not have taken any courses in advanced head and neck anatomy, a curriculum that should be a bare minimum for competency to place a medical device into a living patient's bone. How do you discern who you can or cannot trust to place an implant or to perform any other invasive procedure? You have to ask about their training. Periodontists, oral surgeons, and some other dental specialists receive training in anatomy and implant placement in an actual residency or post-graduate training program. They have plenty of experience even before they place an implant in private practice. The question that you should ask are as follows: How much training do you have with regard to dental implants? How many have you placed and for how long? What certifications do you have? What professional organizations do you belong to? How much continuing education in dental implants do you complete annually? If something goes wrong, do you have the knowledge and skill to identify and correct the problem? What brand of implants do you place? If the answers are not satisfactory or evasive, you are better off finding someone else to place your implants.
